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Captured Russian whales and orcas to be freed from ‘whale jail’, but not free

March 13, 2019– Mary Greeley News – Dozens of beluga whales and orcas are being held in icy waters in Russia after they were captured by a fishery. The so-called “whale jail” has been condemned by activists and Russia has promised to free the animals.

Almost 100 captured beluga whales and orcas are languishing at a coastal fishery in far-east Russia, which allegedly sought to sell the animals to Chinese aquariums, activists said.

Dmitry Lisitysn, head of Russian NGO Sakhalin Environment Watch, was invited by authorities to visit the facility on January 18 and 19 to assess the animals’ health, National Geographic reported.

Lisitsyn told National Geographic that among the captured whales were 15 beluga babies who likely had not been weaned off their mothers’ milk when they were taken and that all of the beluga whales appeared to be in distress.

Lisitsyn said there were orcas with lesions around their dorsal fins, which could be from frostbite, or a fungal or bacterial infection from the stagnant water.